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This chapter is important so I hope you enjoy!
Forever Bound
Chapter Seven – That's What You Get
The weeks following the ball were the most monotonous of Edward's life. His relationship, if it could be classified as such, with Bella was deteriorating at a rapid pace. They ate together at breakfast and dinner and slept in the same bed, yet that was all the contact they had. They never spoke and the only time they ever came into physical contact with one another were the nights Edward claimed her. She had stopped responding to even that; just laying there while Edward moved within her.
To make the situation worse, Tanya had been taken overseas by her parents for two whole months of God's year. They were visiting the region of France her family was from, making it impossible for Edward to find comfort in her arms. If she had simply moved across the country for a period, Edward was sure he would have been able to find a way to abandon his duties for a week to visit her. Alas, it was not to be.
To try and make his life bearable, Edward had taken to his hobby on a regular basis; horse riding. His family owned five stallions and four mares. His own stallion Theodore, named by Alice when she was young, had been ridden more in the previous three weeks than he had in the five years Edward had owned him.
Every evening after he had completed his training and on the days of rest, Edward would saddle Theodore up and ride for miles. He had discovered numerous places that he had not previously known existed in his nineteen years of living there. Just last week he had found the most beautiful meadow.
Riding up a path made by a gap between the trees in the forest, Edward had noticed a clearing. Steering Theodore in its direction, Edward made his way towards the light that was emitting from it. What he saw took his breath away. Here, in the middle of the forest, was one of the most beautiful sights Edward had ever laid eyes on.
The ground was flat, every inch covered with lush grass and it was surrounded by trees. Scattered all across the field were a number of different types of flowers, pink ones, yellow ones, purple ones. The only one Edward recognised were the numerous daisies placed between almost every other flower.
Jumping off Theodore, without bothering to tie him up as he knew he would never leave, Edward had sat in the meadow for at least an hour before reluctantly rising and heading back to him home for dinner.
Dinner was the worst part of the day. Bella and Edward would sit on opposite sides of the table, facing each other but never talking. Their maid would come in and place their dinner in front of them before she stepped out and the married couple said their prayers of thanks. This was the one time of the day Edward would hear Isabella's voice.
Do not get him wrong, Edward had tried to engage her in conversation, but after three days of nothing but silence as a response, he had given up completely. Once their meal was finished, Bella would leave the table and head into their library to read until it was time to retire.
Edward's mother had built a library despite the fact that Edward had little time to spare to enjoy the pleasure of reading. However, it proved to be a good investment, as Bella rarely spent time elsewhere. Edward knew that if he were ever to need her, which he highly doubted, he would be able to find her there; her nose buried deep within a book.
More than once, Edward had pondered what Bella did with her days. Although she had informed him on their wedding day that she had a number of hobbies and interests, he had yet to discover any apart from her love of books. All in all, he did not find his wife the most enthralling of people.
He had even asked their maid, Angela, if Bella ever left the house. He had been told that Bella only left the house to visit his mother or take a walk around the gardens. Apparently, every morning, Bella would disappear from ten hours past midnight to midday to take a tour of the gardens. She always seemed cheerful once she returned. She had been into town a few times, escorted by his mother and Alice, although he never knew if she bought anything; nothing seemed to have been added to their chamber.
It was now the third of December, almost three months had passed since their wedding. From what Edward knew, which was admittedly not much, about his wife's affairs, she had not had any contact with her family back home, and was extremely shocked when a tall, Native American was led into their dining hall during dinner that evening.
Bella had screamed, thrown her napkin to the floor, pushed away her chair and run into the man's arms. "Jake!" she cried, burying her head into his chest.
Edward felt something inside his chest, a longing to push this man away from his wife. Bella was his property, not this man's; only he could touch her. Who the hell was this guy anyway? Edward started at the embracing couple. This man, Jake, had the cheek to smooth Bella's hair away from her face and kissed her forehead.
"I'm so happy to see you Jake," he heard his wife whisper. That was it. Standing up himself, Edward made his way over to the pair.
"Bella, are you going to introduce me to your friend?" Edward emphasised the word friend, ignoring the fact this was the first time he had addressed his wife in over three weeks.
Bella gave Edward an odd look, but complied with his request all the same, "Edward, this is Jacob Black, my best friend. Jake, this is Edward Cullen, my husband." He could not help but notice she said the word "husband" with distaste.
Jacob held out his hand, and Edward took it, wanting to show who was in control. Shaking it, Edward squeezed as hard as he could, although Jacob did not seem intimidated. He replied with the same amount of brute force and did not even bat an eyelid at Edward trying to crush his hand. What was wrong with this man? Edward asked himself.
"I would like to say it's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, however, I am aware of your treatment of Bella, and it is a sin to lie." Jacob looked down on Edward. How dare this man speak to Edward like this in his own home!
"That's odd, because I've never heard about you," and with that Edward left the room; suddenly off his dinner.
Walking out of the front door, Edward walked swiftly to the stable, climbed on Theodore without bothering to saddle him up and rode towards the meadow, wanting some quiet time away from his wife and her friend.
When he returned, at almost midnight, he went straight up to his chamber, wanting to make sure his wife was in their bed and not Jacob's. He pushed open the door, not bothering to stay quiet and was pleased with what he saw. Bella was tucked up in their bed fast asleep.
Edward made his way across the room silently to undress. Dressed in only his underclothes, Edward finally slipped into bed, and for the first time since his marriage, pulled Bella into his arms. He still did not enjoy the fact that he was married, and found it almost unbearable to handle his wife's silence some days, but he wanted to remind her that she was his; even while she was unconscious. "You're mine," he whispered to her, before he too succumbed to sleep.
Edward was extremely displeased at breakfast. Not only had he woken with Bella not in his arms, she was not in their bed at all, or their chamber. Quickly grabbing a robe, Edward had rushed down stairs into the dining hall in search of his wife. The sight that met is eyes did not improve his mood. Bella was sitting in her regular seat, with Jacob Black right by her side. She was laughing so much that a few tears were spilling from her eyes. In the back of his mind, Edward noted that this was the first time he had ever heard her laugh; it sounded like bells. He was not pleased to notice that she was wearing one of her best dresses. It had short sleeves, was silver with a darker silver design covering it. She had never put effort into dressing for him before. Edward growled at the couple as he sat down.
As he was polishing off the remains of his egg with a slice of toast, the butler entered the room, holding out a letter for Edward. He ripped it open, "Dear Mr. Cullen. I apologise on behalf of my husband as he has been taken ill with food poisoning, and therefore will be unable to attend today's lessons. He is deeply regretful but hopes to commence lessons once more tomorrow. Our sincere apologies. Mrs Jenkins.
Edward folded the letter in half and turned once more to the couple at the other end of the room. "It appears that I have the day free, Mr Jenkins has been taking ill with a bout of food poisoning. What are our plans for the day Bella?"
Bella looked at him in shock; never before had he made plans with her before. Well, excluding their wedding day. "I'm sorry Edward, but Jacob and I have plans for the day. A lot has happened since I have been away from home, and it is crucial that I know what is happening." Bella smiled tightly at him. Jacob looked smug; as if he were proud of the fact Bella was dismissing her husband for him.
Edward fixed both of them with a stony glance before he dismissed himself from the table and ascended upstairs once more.
At almost ten hours past midnight, Edward was sitting in his chamber reading, with the doors that led to the balcony wide open. Unexpectedly, laughter floated up with the wind and hit Edward's ears. It sounded carefree and full of life. Rising from his chair, Edward made his way outside and looked for the source of the laugh. Anger flared up inside him. Bella was walking into the garden, on the arm of Jacob Black.
Edward was going to have to put a stop to this right away. It was becoming ridiculous. He had only arrived last night, and yet Bella now seemed unable to function without him. Edward had told her on the morning after their wedding that once an heir had been born, they would be permitted to carry out extra marital affairs. Not before said child was born, and he was only talking about himself to begin with. Of course Bella could not have another man to sustain her needs! What if she were to fall pregnant by him? Edward would be the laughing stock of the village. And here she was, flaunting this man around and a child had yet to be conceived, yet alone born!
Pulling on his coat to keep the heat in, Edward dragged a chair outside; ready to sit and wait to watch them return and judge the state they were in. An hour passed and yet they had still not returned and Edward was growing angrier and angrier by the second. Ready to set off and search for them himself, Edward's plan was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"What?" he yelled; not taking his eyes off the path.
Angela entered the chamber shyly. "Excuse me sir, but your mother is here, and she requests to see you." And she left the room hastily.
Sighing, Edward stood from his chair, took one final glance at the empty path before making his way through his chamber and downstairs to greet his mother.
"Sweetheart, how wonderful it is to see you," Esme greeted him, wrapping him in a large hug and placing two kisses on his cheek, "It's been far too long." She complained.
"I saw you three days ago mother." Edward was not in to mood to play.
"Yes, but a mother wishes to have her child around her all the time. You will understand completely once you have a child of your own, I assure you." If the child would even be his, Edward grimaced.
"Of course mother."
"And where is Bella? I hoped to catch you together. I haven't seen you together since the ball." Esme reprimanded her son.
"Sorry mother. In between my lessons and all the duties I must carry out, there is not much time to visit you. And as for Isabella, she is off for a walk with an old acquaintance of hers, Jacob Black," His voice was filled with venom when he said that dog's name, but Esme seemed not to notice.
Esme smiled, "Oh she is with Jacob. I have heard all about him of course; the two of them seem extremely close," she mused, "I had the pleasure of meeting him last night. It seemed he did not know the way to this house and so asked at ours for directions. Lovely, polite boy."
Edward scoffed. Polite and lovely? Edward could think of a dozen different words to describe him.
"Is something that matter Edward?" his mother asked, concerned.
"Apart from the fact my wife is whoring herself out with the "polite and lovely" gentleman you speak of?" Edward hissed.
Esme's hand flew to her mouth, "Edward! How could you say such hateful things? Especially about Bella! She is the most honest human being I have ever met. She would never stray from you!"
"Really? Really!" Edward asked his mother rhetorically, raising his voice, "If she was such a brilliant human being, what is she doing spending time with another man who is not her husband, fawning all over him? You did not see them together mother, there was barely an inch of air between them! If she were such a brilliant wife, why is she not carrying my heir? It has been three months mother!"
"Edward Antony Masen Cullen, you take those spiteful comments back right now!" his mother told him in a deadly quiet voice.
"NO!" he yelled, "Why should I? All I am stating is the truth! The woman you FORCED me to marry, a woman I could NEVER love, is nothing other than a common whore! Please show yourself out." And with that, Edward left the room, ignoring his mother's sobs coming from within and the feeling of guilt and shame rising within himself.
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So Jacob has arrived. What do you guys think?
I only realised today that I have not included Emmett and Rosalie in this story yet. What roles could they play? Let me know your suggestions.
Please review and let me know what you think. What will happen next?
Bella's POV coming up next. It will be a very important chapter!
Until next time :)
